School fight wrong: Uguro

By YVONNE KAMBIBEL and CRETILDA ALOKAKA
EDUCATION Minister Jimmy Uguro has condemned the attack on a teacher by students in Port Moresby, calling it “immoral” and showing a lack of respect and discipline among teachers and students.
“Teachers and students should learn to respect each other at all times to avoid such incidents, inside or outside the school premises,” Uguro said.
“There must be discipline in schools, and it should start from the teachers.”
The three-minute video of the incident outside the Ted Diro Primary School in Hohola, which had gone viral on social media since last Thursday, showed students surrounding the teacher outside the school. A student is seen throwing punches at the teacher’s head, before the teacher ran onto the road. Other students chased him.
In response to this newspaper’s front-page article yesterday on the incident, Uguro said teachers were educators and should set an example in maintaining discipline at all times.
“Any teacher or student with issues must follow proper (procedures) and communication channels and not take matters into their own hands,” he said.
“I appeal to schools which may have similar issues to provide leadership and use the best problem-solving techniques to address the issues,” Uguro said.
“Let’s respect the majority of students who are innocent. Their learning must not be affected by the (actions of a) minority.”
The Teaching Service Commission is still awaiting a report from the school administration because the attack was on a teacher.
Commission chairman Samson Wangihomie told The National that such occurrences must be investigated by the school administration and the district education division.
Meanwhile, a school inspector has been assigned to find out from the head teacher of the school the details of what happened.
National Capital District education services acting assistant secretary Sam Lora said the normal disciplinary process required the head teacher to get written statements from those involved in the incident.
“Parents, students and the teacher involved have to (put in writing) why they did what they did during the assault,” Lora said.
“This is a civil case and the school must deal with it accordingly.”
Lora said any disciplinary action taken by the school must be reported to the district education office.
“If the school wants to suspend or terminate the students, the school board has to discuss this (first),” he said.
“The decision has to be submitted to us and then we give the final say.”
He said if the students involved in the assault had to be expelled, they could appeal the decision to the district education office.
“We will reconsider the decision as it is every child’s right to have an education.”